Iniuriam
by Octavia Gaunt
Summary: There are too many things that can go wrong if you leave a Wizarding baby with Muggles. But though mistakes can be fixed, they always leave a lasting mark. Meet Henrius Aurelius Malfoy. Slytherin!Harry, future Dark!Harry, pairings to be decided later, maybe Harry/Daphne. No slash.
1. Henrius Malfoy

**A/N: My first Harry Potter story! Here we go. Leave a review, please?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

**Henrius Malfoy  
**

There were, of course, many things that could go wrong with leaving a Wizarding baby on the doorstep of Muggles. But Albus Dumbledore was pressed for time. No doubt the offers for "adoption" and such would be pouring in soon.

None of the families would actually care about the _boy._ They would only care about the savior, the Boy-Who-Lived, and Harry Potter would grow up with an inflated sense of self-importance, among other things. That couldn't happen.

Trying to push away his worries, Albus looked at the child one last time. The overwhelming sadness inside him seemed to grow, but he tried to ignore it. This was for the best, after all. He sighed.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

Out of all the families that wanted custody of the Boy-Who-Lived, the Malfoys might have had, debatably, the best claim. Lucius Malfoy had been a Death Eater, but he'd obviously been under the Imperius. It had been proven. And they had a son about his age, Draco Malfoy. They certainly weren't strapped for funds, either. The Ministry was corrupt, too, everyone knew that: they just didn't say it. Not that it had anything to do with that.

Lucius worked tirelessly to get permission to see young Harry, playing up the Imperius Curse angle: "I simply feel terrible. Even though I did join You-Know-Who against my will, that won't change all the people that suffered." And though he was viewed with no small amount of suspicion, allow it to be stated that, again, he had no small amount of money to throw around. The fact that Narcissa Malfoy was a blood relation to the boy helped very much(he'd found the boy's family tree as quickly as possible, and lo and behold, he was related to the Blacks) as well. Albus Dumbledore gave the issue no more thought than he did all the other requests from families trying to see Harry Potter.

The Malfoy head paid a lot to make it so.

And so it was that when he finally did get permission, the old coot knew nothing. He'd already told the Ministry the boy was at Number Four, Privet Drive to get them off his back and stay out of legal trouble for putting the savior with Muggles. He was more concerned with keeping Wizarding families away in general than keeping track of one(admittedly powerful) dark family. The Statute of Secrecy was on his side, too, so he didn't need to worry too much, he thought.

Galleons could really work wonders, as long as you had enough.

Even so, it was almost a year(in which the attempts to see the Boy-Who-Lived barely slowed down) before Lucius Abraxus Malfoy, dressed in Muggle clothes, arrived on the doorstep of a perfectly normal house on a perfectly normal street in Little Whinging, his long, platinum blond hair marking him as decidedly not so.

If one asked him what he had thought he'd find, he would probably respond that perhaps he believed he'd discover a pampered little boy with a disgustingly adoring family. He certainly didn't think he'd find an abusive aunt and uncle, and a toddler dressed in what amounted to rags answering the door.

Their request for custody was approved very quickly, and little Draco found himself with a brother.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

When Harry was five, he was told that Lucius and Narcissa weren't technically his parents. After he found out, that quickly changed, and Harry James Potter became Henrius Aurelius Malfoy.

The Daily Prophet was onto the story like vultures to a carcass, but after assurances that the savior would still go by Harry, much money thrown around, and a few words from the boy himself, the general populace approved of the blood adoption. Reminders of how Lucius had saved him from what would've been a childhood of abuse at the hands of his relatives didn't hurt, either.

Harry himself was overjoyed. Not only were the Malfoys his real family now(not that he'd thought much about it before, but it was the principle of the thing), his vision had been corrected, so he didn't need contacts, which he hated, and his hair color changed. He had always admired his parents'(he broke out into a huge smile again, despite his best efforts) and brother's white-blond hair. He never particularly liked his own black color, and now, his hair finally lay flat. His eyes didn't change, but he could deal with that: even like it. One of Slytherin's house colors was green.

Narcissa quickly took advantage of his now tamable hair, and styled it so it was slicked in the back and had a soft wave in front. Her husband complained through the whole thing, not that he'd admit it, saying the house-elves could do it. All he got was a few hexes thrown at him.

Draco narrowly avoided their mother when she went into hair-stylist mode(he _liked _his hair like his father's: but a bit shorter, so it barely fell past his shoulders, thankyouverymuch), but then spent the next few days with his now-brother. They played enough Quidditch to last a lifetime, mock-dueled with fake wands and what wandless magic they could produce(all Pureblood children knew some), and did other activities typical of brothers. The Malfoy children couldn't be happier, overall.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

It was the summer when he was seven that Harry found out he was a Parselmouth. Draco was outside on his broom, and he was on his way to join his brother.

He was walking quickly through the halls, as his father disapproved when he ran. His broom, a Nimbus 1900, not that he much cared, was in one hand as he passed a tank along one side of the hall. It held a large brown snake.

The other times he'd been in that particular hallway, it was always asleep. Snakes seemed to do that a lot. But this time, as he was hurrying past, it stared at him.

_sSHumansss… alwayss sso impatient...Ss_ it muttered. Harry froze.

As a matter of course, he knew what understanding the snake meant, as Parseltongue occasionally cropped up in talks about the Dark Lord. The Malfoys _were _dark, and their extensive library had several books on the topic which he'd glanced at out of curiosity. But it was all abstract. Harry never thought he might have the ability himself.

_sSExcuse me?Ss_ he said. It took all his skill to keep a tremor out of his voice.

The snake raised its head to stare at him, suddenly interested. _sSInteressting...Ss_ it said. _sSYou can sspeak...Ss_

After that, he'd ignored the scolding he'd get and ran to fetch his parents and Draco. Lucius was shocked; as much as a Malfoy could get, anyway. Narcissa excused herself to go to the library, looking pale. His brother had been himself: a bit jealous at first, but he shortly dragged him around the manor and its grounds to talk to every snake they(read: Draco) could find.

The whole thing, wisely, was kept out of the public eye, but it took a while to calm down even amongst the families close to the Malfoys. They had many acquaintances.


	2. I: Childhood

**A/N: I tried to make this long, but I'm not sure I succeeded. Chapter lengths may fluctuate, just to warn you. On another note, would anyone like to beta for me? Preferably someone British, so if I make mistakes with trying to use British English and slang you can help me. Thanks! And leave a review, they make my day!**

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

**I: Childhood  
**

Draco's eleventh birthday was the fifth of June, so he could've already had a wand. However, his brother wished to wait so they could get theirs together, which Harry was immensely grateful for.

So, on the last day of July, the Malfoy family Apparated to Diagon Alley to purchase supplies for Hogwarts. Incidentally, because all of them knew the list by heart, and their father was the one that took care of all the owls, they never even saw their school letters. Frankly, neither of them much cared.

As their family was extremely recognisable with their unique hair, and everyone knew the Malfoys had adopted Harry Potter, many wizards seemed like they wanted to swarm around them, but the family had developed a reputation of not tolerating that. The first time it had happened, the crowd had left embarrassed and the reporters in legal trouble. Once again, Harry thanked that his hair marked him a Malfoy. Strangely, even Narcissa's hair was blond, even though she was a Black, known for their dark hair. She often joked it was because she was predestined to marry to Lucius.

They made it to Ollivanders with minimal fuss, thankfully. As always, the inside of the shop was dark, and a bit imposing. Mr. Ollivander appeared in front of them with no warning, but none of them reacted.

"Ah, the Malfoys", he said. "I wondered when Draco wasn't here last month."

"Yes, yes", Lucius cut in before the wandmaker could go on. "Draco wished to wait for Henrius' birthday. We're here for wands for both of them. No need for measurements, I presume?"

Mr. Ollivander blinked, then seemed to recover. "Oh, yes, of course. Well then, which of you would like to go first?" he asked, turning to the brothers.

After a few awkward seconds, Draco spoke. "Today _is_ your birthday, Harry. You should go first."

Harry wanted to argue that his brother had already waited long enough, but he didn't want to make his family look bad in public. Instead, he nodded and walked forward.

"Mr. Henrius Malfoy", said Mr. Ollivander. "Yes, try this." He picked a wand out of an open box, handing it to the boy. "Beechwood and dragon heartstring, nine inches. Flexible." Harry waved it a bit, but it didn't seem to work for him, and the man quickly took it back.

"No, no. Here, try this. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches." The second wand felt a bit better than the first, but not much, and Mr. Ollivander snatched it back as well.

After ten minutes of this, Harry was bored, Draco was bored, and their father had left to buy the other supplies they needed: not too many, as they already had most at the manor. Shopping was more a formality than anything.

No wand seemed to work quite right, but as the pile of wands on the old rickety chair by the door kept growing, Mr. Ollivander's enthusiasm grew with it.

"Tricky customer, then? Don't worry, we'll find the right one eventually."

At that point, Lucius walked back in, two shrunken trunks somewhat visible in his pocket(there were trunks at the manor, but again, formality, and a landmark of sorts). Upon seeing that Harry was still trying to find a wand, he raised an eyebrow at Draco and Narcissa, who both turned to him and shook their heads. Their family had a system of silent communication, of sorts, and a shake of their head meant, currently, that nothing had happened and no, it wasn't Mr. Ollivander's fault it was taking so long.

Still, the pile grew.

And then he found his wand. As Harry picked up a wand colored a warm light brown, he felt a warmth shoot through it into his hand. He flicked it, smiling, and a shower of green sparks flew out the end of the wand.

Watching all that, Mr. Ollivander smiled. "Yes, that is your wand, Mr. Malfoy. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches. Curious, very curious…" he muttered as he took back the wand and put it into its box again.

"Excuse me", said Harry, "but _what_ exactly is curious?" It was phrased as a question, but its wording conflicted with his tone, which left no doubt that it had better receive an answer.

"I remember every wand I've sold", Mr. Ollivander began. "The feather in your wand came from a phoenix that gave one other. Your wand's brother… why, it gave you that scar." He stepped up to the boy, peering at said scar(which hadn't, in fact, vanished after the adoption ritual), but Lucius swiftly came between them, taking the box.

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander", he said in a voice that could freeze Fiendfyre. It was a good thing, too as Harry seemed to be frozen in place. "Now Draco's wand, if you would." He was finally able to move when his brother, walking forward, squeezed his hand lightly. He managed a nod, then went to stand next to his mother.

"We'll talk about it later", she whispered, taking his hand. Harry smiled slightly. Narcissa had the ability to cheer you up from most anything.

Draco's wand didn't take nearly as much time. After a minute or so, Mr. Ollivander pulled one from the huge pile of Harry's failed attempts on the old chair. When his brother gave it a wave, it shot out silver sparks.

"Ten inches, hawthorn and unicorn hair, Mr. Malfoy", he said. "Solid wand, overall."

"Thank you", their father told Mr. Ollivander.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

"Father?" he said, following said man into the Magical Menagerie.

"Yes, Henrius?"

"May I have a snake for a familiar?" Harry asked.

Lucius sighed. "Normally, I would say no, but in your case, I suppose so. Though, be careful to only let the Slytherins know."

Harry beamed. "Thank you, father!" He walked over to the section of the store that held several tanks. There weren't many snakes there, but it was to be expected, as they weren't popular pets.

Glancing around to make sure no one was near, he whispered, _sSHello!Ss_

Immediately, he had the attention of all the snakes nearby.

_sSHe can talk to uss...Ss_, said one. It was relatively small, brown, and reminded him a bit of the one he'd first spoken to in Malfoy Manor.

_sSTake me with you!Ss_ a black one demanded, and many hissed their assent. Harry sighed, then looked around. As some serpents got into a bragging contest about their venoms(_sSMy venom can kill humanss before they realisse what bitess them!Ss_), he walked over to the nearest employee.

"How can I help you?" the man asked, pushing his glasses up his nose. Not for the first time, Harry was glad the blood adoption rid his need of glasses or contact lenses.

"I'd like to purchase a snake", he said, pointing over to the area he'd just come from. The man seemed surprised, but then he walked over to where the snakes were.

"Which one?" asked the man. He pointed to the brown snake, who was currently arguing with a grey-green one about their parentage, or some such thing. "Oh! Well, it's venomous, you know, so-"

Harry cut him off with his best glare. Apparently, it worked, because the man looked startled, but opened the tank after a moment, after getting a smaller one from a shelf. He pointed his wand at the snake and muttered something or other, and it floated out of its original tank into the new one with hisses of indignation, its cream-colored underside visible.

"Thank you", he said curtly. The boy took the tank from him, and went back to where his father was waiting. Lucius paid, then they both left to meet up with Narcissa and Draco, who were at the owlery, as his brother wanted an owl.

Said brother was jealous, but Harry complemented his new eagle owl, and Draco fairly preened.

"What are you calling him?" he asked. His snake, who, incidentally, was male, was curled around his waist, hidden by his robes. It was a bit uncomfortable, but it worked, and the chances of the snake being seen were minimal. He'd have to find some other way to hide him at Hogwarts, though, as the school robes were tighter.

"Aurelius", said Draco, smirking.

Harry sighed. "My middle name, of course."

"What are you calling that snake?"

"Hmm. How about.. Venenum?" The other boy nodded. _sSWhat do you think of the name Venenum?Ss _he repeated softly to the snake.

_sSI like it…sS_

"All that's left to do is getting your school robes", Narcissa told Harry and Draco.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

"Do you want to talk, Henry?" asked Narcissa. His mother was the only one who ever called him Henry, as his father always used Henrius, and everyone else said Harry. It wasn't as if he cared very much, at any rate.

He sighed. "Yes, mother. Thank you." Pulling a green and silver chair toward her, she sat down across from him at the table. They were in Harry's room, themed with the aforementioned Slytherin colors, with a huge bed, a desk, various objects of interest(nothing too dark, this was a bedroom, after all), and said table.

"I just-" he began, "I don't know how I should feel about this." He picked up his wand, which he'd already thoroughly tested(it was powerful). "I'm supposed to be the savior, and then I get the brother wand to the Dark Lord's, and…" The fact that the Malfoy family was dark, and supported the same Dark Lord was left unsaid.

Narcissa sighed softly, and put a hand on her son's arm. "Henry. You're thinking about this too much. It might mean something, but at the same time, it might not. The wand is your wand, not the Dark Lord's. And, honestly, you're eleven years old. I think you have some time yet before anyone expects you to do anything related to you being the savior." The last sentence held a double meaning, as it also meant he had time before he had to decide his position on the war; because really, only a blind fool would think Lord Voldemort truly gone.

Harry smiled, his mood suddenly more optimistic, despite the two-sided sentence. "Mother, you always know what to say. Thank you, again."

His mother smiled back at him, and for once, it reached her icy blue eyes. "Nothing's important until you make it. You have some time to be a child. Use it."

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

"So, who are you going to tell about your wand?" Draco questioned, sitting back in his chair.

"At Hogwarts?"

"No, Harry, out of the Ministry Aurors", he said, rolling his eyes. "Of _course_ I mean at Hogwarts!"

"Fine, fine!" Harry raised his hands in front of him defensively. Venenum was curled around the base of his neck, currently visible. The snake would be hidden by the collar of his robes when they went to Hogwarts. "Just the people I'll tell about my being a Parselmouth."

"So, Theo and Daphne?" The brothers had known Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass for many years. Draco was in a marriage contract with Daphne's younger sister, which provided a source of amusement sporadically. They hadn't yet been told about Harry's Parselmouth ability because, as Lucius said, they weretoo young and might let something slip. They'd been given permission to know once they started at Hogwarts.

"Pretty much, unless we meet somebody else trustworthy", he responded.

"Who else is worth talking to?" said Draco, incredulous.

"Some Ravenclaws, one would think." Ravenclaw house was neutral, while Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were Slytherin's rivals(it was a joke that it was because Ravenclaws spent too much time in the library to be caught up in interhouse conflicts). Since it was almost a given they'd be in Slytherin, being Malfoys, they wouldn't be making friends with Gryffindors or Hufflepuffs anytime soon. Or ever.

"Doubt it. They'd blab to the whole school for a new book. Hell, Hufflepuffs would be more likely to keep it a secret. They at least have _some _house loyalty."

"Are you complimenting them?" At Draco's affronted expression, he smirked, then sighed. "I suppose so. But you never know who you'll meet."

Around his neck, Venenum stirred. _sSWhen are we going to the ssschool?Ss_ Harry had told him about Hogwarts in his spare time.

_sSNot anytime soon, Venenum. We must wait a _ he replied. The snake seemed to sigh, if snakes could do such a thing, and tightened his coils.

"You know, that's kind of creepy", Draco commented. "But brilliant, too, a bit", he added.

"Of course it is." Harry stroked the snake's head.


	3. II: Snakes and Eagles

**A/N: I decided to cut the chapter off with the feast, not the common room. Otherwise, it'd run on forever. I promise there will be some plot next chapter. I'm really excited, but my typing speed doesn't like me. It's faster than some people, but I still have to polish it.**

**Also, still in need of a beta here. Preferably someone used to British English.**

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

**II: Snakes and Eagles  
**

The rest of the summer passed in relative quiet. Venenum grew a few centimeters(he was a young snake), Aurelius harassed the other owls at the manor, their father somehow made more money than usual, and Harry received another haircut. His hair now looked the way it had when Narcissa had first styled it, after his adoption. By some stroke of luck, or perhaps just vigilance, Draco managed to avoid their mother at that point in time. His hair was now almost as long as their father's.

Presently, the Malfoy family Apparated onto Platform 9¾ with two trunks, an owl, and a snake somewhere in the younger brother's luggage. The boys were both clothed in their school robes already, though it hadn't happened without complains about how plain they were.

It was common knowledge that the Boy-Who-Lived had been adopted by the Malfoys, so as soon as they appeared(with their glaringly visible hair), a mob swarmed toward them. Not even frosty glares could put them off, and Lucius and Narcissa, thus, spent their time on the platform deflecting questions. It was fortunate they were willing, as neither Harry nor Draco were paying the slightest bit of attention to the crowd.

They were, in fact, attempting to find Theo and Daphne. It was somewhat of a futile task, as even discounting the throng about them, there were, in general, far too many families around.

Eventually, everyone pressing to see the young savior seemed to grow bored, and the brothers had room to breathe. They bid goodbye to their parents and boarded the train, their trunks floating after them(bloody useful spell).

As there was still a while before the train left, Harry and Draco found an empty compartment with little trouble. Without much delay, two large, dark-haired boys found them. They didn't seem to be related, but were both tall and heavyset.

"Who are they?" Harry asked his brother.

"Oh, them", Draco observed flippantly. "Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. They're rather dull. Father told me about them the day when you were out hunting rats. One of those days."

Harry rolled his eyes. To tell the truth, he had been out hunting with Venenum quite a lot.

"Oh, yes. Crabbe, go guard that door. Goyle, that one", ordered Draco, pointing to the ends of their compartment. The burly boys shuffled to do as he said.

A few minutes later, the door Crabbe and Goyle had come through opened again. Theo Nott strolled in, followed by Daphne Greengrass.

"Hi Theo, Daphne", Harry acknowledged, as Draco nodded toward the newcomers.

"Hi Draco. Hi Harry", Theo told them, sitting himself to Draco's left.

"Hi", Daphne echoed. "Has anything happened since we saw you last? It has been two months."

Draco stood up, a huge smile on his face(by Malfoy standards). "Listen to this! When we went to Ollivanders, Harry got a wand with a phoenix feather core. But it turns out, it's the brother wand to the Dark Lord's!"

At the others' looks of shock and incredulity, Harry sighed heavily. "You know, Draco, just because I said I'd tell them, doesn't mean you can blurt it out whenever."

"You don't mind, though." It wasn't a question.

Before he could retort nastily, Theo interrupted their conversation. "That's barmy!" he practically shouted.

"Do control your volume", Draco drawled. obviously pleased with the reaction. He sat back in his seat, crossing his arms.

Harry sighed again. "So, dear brother, will you tell them about the other thing, too, or may I?"

"You may", his brother declared, smirk still plastered on his face.

Standing up, Harry brought his trunk in front of him, and opened it. Venenum noticed the sudden change in light immediately, and slithered out onto the wizard's outstretched arm.

_sSFinallySs _complained the snake_, sSI wass getting _

_sSOh, be quiet. Father cast a Warming Charm on _ Upon noticing that Venenum was staring curiously at Theo and Daphne, he continued. _sSThey're my friends. Don't bite _

"You- you're a Parselmouth." Theo seemed too shocked to speak any louder, for which he was thankful.

"That's amazing", Daphne stated, having more poise. "What did you say?"

"Not to bite you all." Harry sat down, adjusting the collar of his robes as his snake coiled around his neck. "I've actually known for a while now, but Father only let me tell you when we started school."

"Argh…" Theo covered his face with his hands, apparently at a loss for words.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

Nothing particularly of interest occurred the rest of the ride, except a girl with bushy hair bothering Crabbe about a lost toad. Daphne helped her on her way("Leave, Mudblood"), as the tall boy seemed unable to, and everyone else in the compartment was feeding Venenum candy. That stopped when _someone_ tried to feed him owl treats, which set off Aurelius.

Then they were leaving the train, not carrying their trunks or pets(except Harry, whose familiar had a choke-hold on his neck), and boarding the little boats. Hagrid, the half-giant groundskeeper, was saying something about Hogwarts, but nobody in their group was listening.

When the children first saw the castle, they couldn't help but "ooh" and "aah" along with the rest of their soon-to-be-yearmates. Pictures and stories couldn't begin to capture the grandeur of the old school.

Professor McGonagall, a stern woman with a black bun, met them at the door. She led the new students to a room they'd wait in before the Sorting. Without further ado, whispers broke out about how they might be Sorted. Some of the suggestions were absolutely ridiculous, and Harry barely held back a scowl.

Though, he couldn't help but be a bit nervous. His father would be disappointed if he wasn't in Slytherin. In top of that, some people might expect him to be in Gryffindor, what with him being the famous Harry Potter. Not that he'd want to be in that house.

"We'll be in Slytherin", Draco murmured. "Else father will burn the hat."

Harry could hear his brother's voice quaking, but he forced a tiny smile. The reassurance did make him feel better, somewhat.

At one point, a group of ghosts floated through the walls, discussing Peeves. Harry ignored them, mostly because of nerves, though the tutors his father had hired for hiding emotions helped. Many others jumped, but he couldn't even bring himself to feel disdain.

It felt like hours before Professor McGonagall came back to get them, all in all.

All of them could feel the stares of the older years as they walked into the Great Hall, lining up. Thankfully, the Sorting Hat, an ragged old thing, swiftly ended the silence, even if he did have to endure its inane song.

_"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folks use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

As the four tables, as well as the staff, started applauding, the students in the line resumed their whispering. McGonagall began to read names off a scroll.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

Harry ignored all the names until he heard:

"Greengrass, Daphne!"

The hat sat on her head for about five seconds before calling out a resounding "SLYTHERIN!" Harry joined Draco, Theo, and the Slytherin table in clapping. That was one of his friends in the house of snakes, he thought, as Daphne sat next to Tracey Davis, an old friends of hers that he didn't know.

There was more waiting before:

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Harry gave his brother what he hoped was a smile, and Draco managed a smirk back. As he sauntered up to the three-legged stool, looking for all the world like he owned the world, Harry's stomach did a flip. He was next.

But on Draco Malfoy's part, there were no issues. The moment the old hat touched his platinum hair, it yelled "SLYTHERIN!" He strode to the green and silver table, taking the other seat next to Daphne, much to the chagrin of Crabbe and Goyle, both whom had been sorted into the same house.

Then, "Malfoy, Henrius!"

The gossip commenced anew, but Harry couldn't hear it. He focused on seeming confident as he strolled toward the hat. Perhaps he'd succeeded, perhaps he hadn't, but at the moment he was incapable of concentrating on more than one thing at a time.

The large hat fell over his eyes, thankfully blocking the sea of faces trying to get a good look at him. "So, where shall I put you?" said a little voice, quite suddenly.

'With my brother?' Harry thought. He then winced: it had come out as a question.

"Hm, the young man right before you, yes? Good that you think so, as you'd only fit in SLYTHERIN!" The hat bellowed the last word.

As Harry placed the Sorting Hat back on the stool, he became much aware that his new house was the only one clapping. No one else bothered, despite the fact that they'd all been polite enough to do so for all the other first years. The Gryffindors looked affronted, though he couldn't imagine why(he was a _Malfoy_), the Hufflepuffs shocked, and the Ravenclaws were all too busy examining him like their first wand. When McGonagall glared, the latter began halfhearted applause, though the other two houses still didn't.

The moment passed quickly as Harry sat himself next to Draco, who gave him a reciprocated genuine smile, and the next name was called. The name after that was:

"Nott, Theodore!"

The brunette was visibly pale as he went up to the hat(not that Harry blamed him). His Sorting took longer than both his own and Daphne's, and for a horrible moment Harry thought his friend might end up in a different house.

It turned out, however, that his worries were for naught, as the hat let the whole hall know Theo belonged in "SLYTHERIN!" Harry clapped with everyone else as his friend strode over to take the spot to his right, relief evident on his face. As it was almost certainly too loud to hear a voice, he mouthed "congratulations" to him, prompting a nod in return.

The Sorting soon closed with "Zabini, Blaise"("SLYTHERIN!"), and the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, held his hand up for silence. Harry sneered along with the rest of the table. The Headmaster was known for favoring Gryffindors heavily.

Not bothering to listen after Dumbledore mentioned the "no magic in the halls" rule, he not-so-patiently waited for the food to appear. When it did, he had no idea how he managed to retain any decorum at all, he was so hungry. He hadn't been able to eat much of lunch, as he'd been anxious for the first day of school.

"What do you reckon is on the third floor that's so valuable?" Theo asked the others after a moment, sipping at his pumpkin juice.

"Excuse me?" Draco returned.

"Dumbledore said one of the third floor corridors is off limits unless you want to die. Something dangerous is there, and it's got to be either a dark artifact or something guarding a priceless object."

"Why do you think it's an object, instead of one of Hagrid's monsters that got loose or something like that?" Daphne asked him.

"Well", Theo began, speaking between bites, "Hogwarts _is_ the safest place to keep anything, Gringotts excepted, maybe, but the bank doesn't have the esteemed headmaster. A teacher would've gotten rid of anything else that could kill us by now. Even if they hadn't, Dumbledore would tell us what it is if that were the case."

"Bloody Ravenclaw", Draco remarked, while eating a piece of steak. "I'd never listen to Dumbledore."

Harry spoke for the first time. "Actually, he'd have told us of he didn't care about students finding out. As it is, we'll just stay away because of self-preservation."

"It's not as if that will stop the Gryffindors", his brother told him.

"But it _will_ stop us", Daphne reminded.

"Fair enough." Draco paused. "I think we should research extremely valuable objects. Most of them are dangerous, and Father might be able to finally get the old coot out of the position of Headmaster for endangering students. Anyway, even if we don't find anything, I'm still telling Father. Putting students' lives at risk…"

"We'll go to the library", Harry promised him.


	4. III: Red

**A/N: Sorry, I promise there'll be real plot next chapter. I feel bad, especially after the wait. Also, you might've noticed I gloss over some things, which is intentional, since they're not really useful. Anyway, if anyone's reading this at all, feel free to suggest plot points. I can't think of everything.**

**Still in need of a beta.**

**Disclamer: See first chapter.**

**III: Red  
**

All too soon, the feast was over and a prefect with black hair was leading them down to the dungeons, where their common room was located. None of the first years could summon the energy to chat, and the oppressive stone corridors didn't help.

The group halted in front of a stretch of wall that, at first glance, appeared no different than any other part. When a girl with brown hair and a pug nose("Pansy Parkinson", Daphne told the brothers quietly) pointed that fact out, the prefect scoffed.

"You're not a Hufflepuff", he stated. "Look closer."

The ten or so students shuffled to see what he was pointing at. As they moved closer, a small carving of a snake became apparent. Harry swore it was staring at him.

"The password will change every month. It will be posted in the common room." Here, he paused to glower at them all. "Do _not_ repeat it to anyone from any other house. Belladonna."

An opening in the wall appeared, starting at the snake. When it became large enough for a person to walk through, the prefect led them into the common room.

Had Harry been less sleepy, or perhaps less full, he would've been impressed. The area was bedecked in green and silver. A fire crackled merrily in one corner, surrounded by armchairs and couches. Two large windows allowed a view under the surface of the lake. A bulletin board sat between two staircases leading down to what were presumably the dorms. Even the ever-present stone seemed more friendly.

The prefect that had led them to the common room moved to stand by the sitting area. He was now joined by a girl with pale skin and brown hair, who also had a prefect badge glinting on her chest. She had an expression of neutrality that matched the male prefect's perfectly.

"Welcome to Slytherin", she announced. "I am Prefect Gemma Farley."

"I am Prefect Alexander Bennett", the boy echoed. "Slytherins do not act like hooligans. They do not fool about like uncivilised apes."

"We do not rush in blindly like Gryffindors", Prefect Farley continued, "we are not incompetent, like Hufflepuffs, and we do not lack any common sense, like Ravenclaws."

Prefect Bennett picked up the speech again. "Here at Hogwarts, we are the least favored house. Our Head of House, Professor Snape, does all he can, but his power is limited. He will introduce himself in Potions."

"We, in Slytherin, are all labelled as dark, which may or may not be accurate." Here, the girl glanced around, seeing uncomfortable shifting. Harry wasn't proud to say he dropped his eyes when her gaze found him. Being a Malfoy, it was a given that he knew some dark magic; mostly theory, as he'd only had a wand for a month. Not that anyone else needed to know any of that.

Prefect Farley was speaking once more. "The point is, as nobody will help us but ourselves, we must present a united face to the rest of the school. Limit your childish arguments and petty infighting to this room. To the rest of Hogwarts, we are unified."

"We will show them no weakness, lest they use it against us. If the prefects or Professor Snape catch wind of disagreements reaching further than the common room, there will be consequences." It was Prefect Bennett's turn to glare at the assembled first years.

Both prefects waited a moment, before smiling.

"Go to your dormitories now", Prefect Farley told them, her tone friendlier. "I'm sure you're all tired."

It was a moment before her words registered in their sleepy minds. But when they did, they were separating by gender and moving toward the stairs.

He wanted nothing more than to collapse into the(green and silver) four-poster by his trunk, but the others would notice, and it would reflect badly on Harry. Somehow dragging himself to the bathroom, he was ready for bed in record time, even before Draco, though after a boy with dark skin whose name he couldn't recall. Harry had barely pulled the covers over himself when he was out like a light.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

Despite what some muggle-borns(Mudbloods) might have thought, classes were only classes: boring. Professor Flitwick, the tiny Charms teacher, nearly fell over when reading his name, and that was the highlight of his day. He'd learned much of the material already, their first classes being theory. Transfiguration was an exception, taught by Professor McGonagall, also Head of Gryffindor, who never gave points to Slytherin. Luckily, she didn't take them off too much, but it was enough to put the new students off.

Herbology was taught by Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff, but she knew her profession. Draco, out of them, paid the most attention, counterintuitively, because it was important for Potions, which he loved.

On the topic of Potions, it was by far the favorite subject in the snake house. However, Potions meant a bit more to the Malfoy brothers.

Severus Snape had, when Draco was born, offered to become the boy's godfather. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had refused, mostly because it was a bad time, with the war and such. In fact, as his mother had told him later, it was one of the reasons they had fought for custody of himself: they didn't want Draco to have a childhood deprived of human contact apart from them.

But still, Professor Snape had seen the brothers a few times. He liked Draco, that was for sure, as the child had a natural talent for Potions. However, his emotions concerning the other brother were a lot harder to sort through.

He'd sneered every time Harry did something horribly wrong, which wasn't often, thankfully(the man was a bit scary). More confusing was his reaction when he made a potion exceptionally well. Then, the man would look at him with a sort of longing, then more often than not, sigh and ignore him for a while. Harry's father told him it probably had something to do with his biological parents, as Professor Snape had hated James Potter, and used to be friends with Lily Potter. He thought it was more than that, but as Lucius didn't have anything else to offer, he had to be satisfied with just that.

The man _was_, though, a very talented Potions Master. There was never any doubt about that fact.

And he hated Gryffindors, which was always a bonus.

At any rate, though, the class that most of the first years were looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts. There was a rumour floating about that the position of Defense teacher was curse, but whether or not it was, there was a new teacher every year. Many were anxious to see how well Professor Quirrell would do.

Daphne, ever down-to-earth, wasted no time in reminding them that the professor, former teacher of Muggle Studies, was probably absolutely terrible.

"Dumbledore is probably hiring anyone who offers to teach, by now", she pointed out. "Talk of the curse has gotten around. Not many people want a _cursed_ position."

Nevertheless, Harry, like most other students, harboured a hope still. This hope was quashed rapidly, as Quirrell proved to be an incompetent, stuttering mess. All they did the first class was read from their books.

"I did warn you", Daphne whispered to him near the end of class.

Harry groaned. "If it were anyone but you, I'd take offense. But seeing as it is, I'll just say that yes, you were right."

As he was leaving, however, something odd occurred. He glanced over to where Professor Quirrell was erasing the blackboard, his back to Harry. Suddenly, a searing pain shot through his scar.

"Argh!" Clenching his teeth in an effort to keep his voice down, Harry stumbled out into the hallway, falling against the wall. Daphne caught his arms, helping him back up. His brother and Theo were by his side in an instant, Draco shooing Crabbe and Goyle, who were distinctly uncomfortable, away. Upon noticing they were alone, he collapsed again, despite his friends' efforts.

"Are you alright?" Though soft, Daphne's voice held a panicked edge, which was unusual.

"I don't know", he croaked, teeth still clenched. Venenum, who had been asleep, stirred, slithering down his left arm.

_sSWhat happened?Ss_ the snake inquired. _sSDid thosse humanss hurt you?Ss_

Harry shook his head, the shooting pain in his skull foiling his attempts to form another sentence. This didn't make sense. His first guess as to the culprit would've been Legilimency, but he hadn't made eye contact with anyone. Besides, he rudimentary Occlumency shields(of course he had them) would keep out an intruder for at least a moment, and the shields hadn't been touched.

Though…

The pain had seemed to originate in his scar. His famous Killing Curse scar, that the _Dark Lord_ had given him.

"Do you want to see Madame Pomfrey?" Theo wanted to know, shaking him out of his thoughts, which were rapidly becoming dangerous.

"No", Harry said hoarsely. "She'll tell Dumbledore", he elaborated, lowering his voice, "and I'd rather him keep his crooked nose out of my business."

"All right, them", Draco said finally. "We've got to get to the Great Hall; it's lunchtime." He obviously wasn't pleased, but was willing to drop the subject.

Unfortunately, he wasn't having a lucky day.

The group had hardly turned a corner when Venenum, still on Harry's arm, hissed out a warning and dove into Theo's bag. A moment later, red hair and freckles were in their faces, followed by two other boys, one with sandy hair and another with brown hair and skin, and they were all wearing Gryffindor colors. The first boy, almost certainly a Weasley, judging by his appearance, was instantly on his guard. Harry noted, scoffing, that his hand was nowhere near his pocket, where a wand poked out.

"Malfoy", the Weasley sneered. He couldn't pull it off, though, and the expression looked more like a grimace.

Draco, who was at the front of the group, replied. "The newest Weasley brat, I see. One wonders how your parents feed and clothe you all." He paused. "I am grateful for that, I suppose. You lot are ugly enough _with_ your robes." The red-haired boy's face now matched his hair, but Draco continued before he could respond. "We have more important things to do than dealing with the likes of you."

The Weasley began sputtering indignantly, appearing to momentarily forget how to speak. As Draco pushed past him, followed by the rest of the group, he drew his wand. The Gryffindor with sandy hair put a hand on his shoulder, effectively halting him.

"Ron, don't. It's not worth it", he pleaded. The boy named Ron seemed on the verge of(attempting) a hex, but managed to hold it back. After a moment's consideration, Ron ran to catch up to the Slytherins, whom all ignored him.

Speaking to Harry, he proclaimed, "You should get away from them. You're _Harry Potter_, you should've been in Gryffindor-" He got no further, as Harry whirled around, barely keeping his anger off his face.

At another place and time, his temper might have been better restrained, but as it was, he was in a foul mood. "Weasley", he started, his voice sickly sweet, "while I'd love to hear you continue to spew tripe, I must correct a few of your assumptions. My name is Henrius Aurelius Malfoy. This is my _brother_, these are my _friends_, and I would love to see a universe in which I was in _Gryffindor_." Spitting the last word, he stalked off next to Draco, who shot a final glare at Ron Weasley.

Later, in the Great Hall, Venenum back around Harry's neck, a worried Draco Malfoy wondered if Ron might tell Professor Dumbledore.

"Most likely, no", Daphne replied. "He didn't strike me as the type to run off and tell someone. Besides, where would he tell the Headmaster? The other teachers are generally sensible enough to not give him the password to the office-"

"And the Great Hall would make a scene", Theo finished. "Which is probably the last thing he wants after Harry told him off. By the way, did you see how red he was? If I had a Pensieve, I'd save that memory."

Harry sighed. "I almost lost control of my temper", he mumbled. "This entire thing gives me a bad feeling."

"Well then, we'll have to cheer you up!" He was sure that, if they were alone, Draco would've stood up and clapped his hands. "Let's take your mind off all this."

"By doing what?" Harry inquired. "The school's brooms are horrible, we all hate Exploding Snap, and Daphne would crush us all at chess, no contest." He hesitated. "Now that I think about it, we've been holding off on researching what could be on the third floor…"

"Oh, now you're turning into a bloody Ravenclaw too", his brother grumbled. "Fine."


	5. IV: Secrets

**A/N: I wanted to let you know that updates are always going to be sporadic, because of the type of writer I am. Sorry, but I do have a longer chapter for you! And next chapter, we've got Halloween! And you know what that means.**

**On another note, still needing a beta, people. Thanks. And it you could spread the word about this story, it'd be nice.**

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

**IV: Secrets  
**

"Why are you reading _Hogwarts, A History_?" Draco asked Theo, setting down his own book.

"Re-reading", Theo corrected. "You'd really think I haven't read it yet? To answer your question, I think I saw something in it about the wards around the school that might help."

"How?" replied the other boy. "What do wards have to do with whatever's on the third floor?"

With a sigh, he said, "The wards are old, and they protect this school against most dangerous artifacts, especially dark ones, except in a few places.. So, it's probably not dangerous by itself."

"Where don't the wards reach?" Harry cut in, curious. If there was an area in Hogwarts where the wards didn't cover, it could be extremely convenient.

Theo groaned. "The book doesn't say, but apart from the Headmaster's office-" Harry rolled his eyes "-and the maybe-real Room of Requirement, there's the Chamber of Secrets."

"Shh!" Draco quickly glanced around the library, checking if anyone had heard. "Don't say that so loud!"

"It exists?" Daphne breathed. "I thought it was a myth."

"Oh, no", Harry returned. "It was opened back in Grandfather's time."

"That would be Abraxas Malfoy?" questioned Theo.

"Yes, him.

"So, around 1940?"

"Forty-two, to be exact." This time, it was Draco who spoke. "It's how the half-giant, Hagrid, got expelled, which I'm sure we're all thankful for. 'Course, only an blind fool would ever think _he _opened the Chamber."

"What else do you know?" asked Daphne, eyes wide.

"Not too much, actually", Harry admitted. "Father never told us much, but, obviously, a Slytherin opened it."

"A Pureblood?"

"Most likely", muttered Theo, "considering that the Chamber's supposed to kill off Mudbloods. Do you think that's what you need to open the chamber? Be a Pureblood?"

"Salazar Slytherin was smarter than that", Draco responded. "If all you had to do was be a Pureblood, the Chamber would've been opened long ago."

Theo huffed. "Well, fine. Do any of you have a better idea, then?"

"Well", said Daphne, "what if the Chamber is opened with Parseltongue?" She looked at Harry pointedly, who raised an eyebrow.

"That's a good guess, actually", he said. "If it is, then I'd be able to open it… but we still don't know what Slytherin's monster is. Not that I even know where the entrance is."

Theo looked annoyed.

"If you were to ask me, then I'd say a snake of some sort", Draco mused. "Especially if it's Parseltongue you need to open it. Probably is. We should look up magical snakes."

"We could also ask the half-breed", Daphne continued. "After all, you did say that was the reason he was expelled."

"But who would ask him?" Harry wondered. "He certainly wouldn't trust us, being Slytherins and all. I might be able to get information out of him, but I think it's best if I can't be connected to any of this."

Draco shrugged, not that he'd ever admit it. "He'd never tell me anything, since I'm _me_, so Theo and Daphne should go. Fill us in when you get back."

"Fine, then", Theo said with a scowl, then muttering something about Malfoys never doing any dirty work.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

The moment the two Slytherins ran(yes, ran) into the common room, back from visiting the gamekeeper's hut, Draco and Harry, who had been waiting anxiously, literally jumped out of their seats, jostling a grumbling snake awake. Before either of them could utter a word, the other two took out a scroll of parchment each, two quills, and an inkwell. They then began scribbling furiously.

"What did the oaf say?" Draco asked, curiosity seeping through his nonchalant tone. Theo shushed him, still scratching away. Daphne finished first, and handed her sheet to Draco with a "read this".

The blond boy complied. "He was framed for opening the Chamber, of course, and was expelled." He hesitated for an instant before continuing. "Tom Riddle… I've never heard of the name, which is odd, considering Grandfather knew everyone who was in Slytherin at the time, and Father told us about all of them." Draco frowned, and one could almost see his thoughts moving to and fro.

"Let me see", Harry demanded, not waiting for permission before seizing the parchment. "An Acromantula? Really? How dense are people? It seems like this Riddle was influential… which makes no sense." His expression now matched that of his brother, which may or may not have been a coincidence.

"It doesn't make sense, I know." Theo was peering over Harry's shoulder, having ceased writing. His own sheet lay on the table. "You'd think our parents would've told us about him."

"He must be the key", Daphne asserted. "If our theory is correct, and I see no reason why it would not be, he would be a Parselmouth."

_sSWhy are you humanss sso loud?Ss_ Venenum hissed, slithering off to some nook. Harry ignored him.

"But what if he didn't open the Chamber, and he was only covering for another student?" Draco wondered, oblivious to the snake's bad temper.

"It's the most useful information we've got", Theo informed him. "Who knows, it might be just what we need. Keep reading, by the way", he added.

"Hm. What are Acromatulae afraid of?" Harry said. "One more thing to find." Quite suddenly, he remembered Theo's scribblings. "Theo, what did you write on yours?"

"It's about whatever's on the third floor", the other boy said, quickly growing excited once more. "The giant let so much slip! I think we'll finally be able to find out what it is!"

"The oaf is terrible at keeping secrets", Daphne put in. "One wonders why Dumbledore gives him any information at all."

Harry left Daphne's page on the table, picking up Theo's notes in its stead. The brown-haired boy had slightly messier handwriting than Daphne's slanted calligraphy(but hers was better than any of theirs), though he'd added some of his own questions and observations. He'd been right. This was all they needed.

"If you're not going to read it, give it to me", Draco commanded.

"Yes, I will, just a moment. The mysterious object has something to do with Nicholas Flamel." Before his brother could interrupt, he held up a hand. "Wait. The giant moved it here from Gringotts, so it must be extremely valuable; even more so than we first thought. All the teachers helped protect it, and Hagrid provided what it presumable one of his monstrosities." Harry stopped speaking for a moment, raising an eyebrow. "Its name is Fluffy", he deadpanned.

Draco appeared to be about to snort, though he restrained himself(Malfoys do not _snort_) to a raised eyebrow, eerily similar to the expression Professor Snape sometimes wore. "With that name, it's probably a manticore, or a dragon."

"We'll have to find out, unfortunately", Theo said. "Make it look like an accident, in case anyone notices us. But if we don't, we would be unprepared."

"Argh…" Draco's head dropped, and he cradled it in his hands. "Well, I suppose it'd be worth it. What do you reckon it's guarding, though?"

"We should research Nicholas Flamel", Daphne thought aloud. "I recall that he is a famous alchemist."

"I'd like to find out more about this Tom Riddle", said Harry. "But it'll have to wait, since that kind of information wouldn't be in the school library."

"Well, we'll probably be able to find out what Slytherin's monster is now", Theo commented. "What Acromantulas are scared of…"

Sighing heavily, Draco brushed his hair back over his shoulders. "The library again. Ten Sickles it's a snake."

"Not taking that bet", Theo said.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

_sSDo you know what Acromantulae are afraid of?Ss_ Harry asked Venenum quietly in a bout of inspiration, adjusting his position sitting against a shelf.

_sSOf coursse I do!Ss_ Venenum appeared insulted, but it was hard to tell with a snake. _sSIt iss none other than the greatesst serpent of uss all! The-Ss_

_sSYes, get to the _

_sSHumanss… they are afraid of Bassilissksss!Ss _Venenum was indignant now.

_sSOh, thank _Carefully, as to not rile up the snake any more, Harry placed his familiar into his bag, then closed the book on his lap with a snap. He then stood up, walking over to where Theo was taking notes, a veritable pile of books next to him on the table.

"Basilisk!" Harry called triumphantly. Well, not so much called(he wasn't so stupid as to do so in the library) as whispered loudly.

"Hm?" His friends glanced up from his parchment. Draco and Daphne were elsewhere, searching for information.

"Acromantulae are afraid of Basilisks!" he clarified. "If what the oaf said is true, Slytherin's monster is a Basilisk. It's a big snake, obviously", Harry said, thumbing through a book on the stack(_Monsters You Should Hope You Never Meet)_. "Ah, here we are. It can kill you by looking at you, apparently, and its venom is the most potent of any snake. Also, they're enormous."

"You already said that", Theo noted.

"Which emphasizes how _big_ it is!"

"Then, after I write this down", he said, already scribbling like a madman, "we should look up other things. And ask our families what happened in 1942 over Christmas break."

"Why don't we owl them?" the blond wondered. "You think people check our mail?"

"With what we're doing, we can't take risks", Theo replied.

Just then, Draco appeared from between the shelves, walking as quickly as possible without it being running. Behind him, Daphne followed at a more sedate pace. The musty library brightened as their lamps joined the one on Theo's table.

"Harry! Theo!" Draco whispered furiously as soon as said wizards were in hearing range. "We've figured out what's on the third floor!" With that, he slammed a book in Harry's lap. "The Philosopher's Stone. Read."

As Harry did so, his eyes widened. He glanced over at his two friends, who were discussing animatedly, Theo looking shocked; and for good reason.

"A stone that produces something that lets you live forever?" Harry whispered angrily. "As much gold as you want? What the bloody hell is the coot thinking, putting something like that in the middle of a school filled with students?"

"don't ask me", his brother muttered darkly. "Daphne thinks there's more to this, and she's usually right."

Harry nodded affirmatively. "There definitely is. Even if he's finally gone mad, he wouldn't move a Philosopher's Stone- the _only_ one- to the school for no reason."

Draco frowned, quite suddenly. "Father said something about a Gringotts break-in on your birthday two weeks before school started, didn't he? But nothing was stolen?"

"He did." Harry's eyes grew wide. "You'd have to be crazy or desperate, or both, to steal from that bank. But someone tried… and Hogwarts is the only place that might be safer than Gringotts…"

"Who broke in there?" Draco said, more to himself than as a question. "If we know that… let's go see if Theo and Daphne have thought about something we haven't."

As a matter of fact, they had. Their two friends has theories of their own.

"I think", Theo began, lowering his voice and glancing around nervously, "the Stone is bait. Daphne believed it's something to do with Harry, and from there, it was really obvious."

"Harry is bait, so to speak, as well", Daphne finished. "The Philosopher's Stone is extremely valuable to anyone, but no one would break into Hogwarts for it. We've already established that is Dumbledore were simply storing the Stone here for safekeeping, he would not have told anyone about it. This implies he wanted someone to know."

"And the Stone is valuable, but it also happens to be Harry's first year here", Theo said. "He's valuable, in a sense, too, but to one person more than anyone else."

Draco paled, his face now a shade of white rivalling a ghost. "Then, the Gringotts break-in was…"

"Break-in?" Theo questioned.

"Yes, there was one on Harry's birthday. Someone broke into the bank, but didn't steal anything."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"Let's go back to the common room", Harry suggested, breaking the heavy silence. No one protested.

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

Later that evening, when Theo and Daphne had already gone to sleep, the Malfoy brothers were awake in front of the fire, completing a Transfiguration essay. Or, well, not.

"What would you do, though?" Draco asked him. "I mean, if the Dark Lord came back?"

Sighing, Harry ran fingers through his hair, thinking. "I suppose… I think I'd try to stay neutral. I am the Boy-Who-Lived, and I don't think he'd like me much. But I'm certainly not going to fight him."

"Hmm. Well, you never know. Malfoys… well, we're not a neutral family."

"I'd probably join him, if I could. You're my brother, and I'm a Malfoy, even if I am the supposed savior. I never knew the Lily and James Potter, and it was a war."

His brother smiled. "Hah. Imagine what the Daily Prophet would say, if they found out. I can see the headlines now, actually."

Harry swung a cushion at him. "Prat." He sighed again, dropping the pillow back on the armchair. "And I can still remember the year I spent at the Dursley's. After that, there's not a chance in hell I'll join the bloody coot after that. And, you know, it's kind of strange, but if not for him, you wouldn't be my brother."

Draco's smile became a smirk. "And whatever would you do without me?" He ducked as the green cushion went flying over his head. "Now come on. McGonagall will have our heads if we don't finish this essay."

_**SsSsSsSsSsSs**_

It was a few days later, when their discoveries weren't so fresh in their mind, that the friends discussed the ramifications of the new information. All it did was create more.

"So, do you think the Dark Lord will come to Hogwarts? No one with a brain really thinks he's gone", Draco said to no one in particular. "He has to know it's a trap, of course, but he might come anyway, with an opportunity like this…"

At this point, horror was slowly creeping in on Harry. His scar had hurt again the day before, when he looked at the High Table when Quirrell had his back turned to him. The Philosopher's Stone was at Hogwarts, but it was just one piece of the puzzle. All the teachers had helped protect it. All the teachers.

"I-" he began weakly, swallowing. "Quirrell. My scar. It hurts around him, though only when his back is turned. It's strange. But Dumbledore is trying to draw out the Dark Lord."

A shocked silence followed, which was broken by Theo. "You think Quirrell is You-Know-Who." The incredulity showed in his voice.

"Actually, if one thinks about it, the disguise is perfect", Daphne said thoughtfully. "Professor Quirrell did take a trip to Albania before the beginning of the school year, as well, and came back different. If he were, no one would ever suspect, due to his supposed incompetence."

"If he is…" sighed Theo, shaking his head. "Well, if Quirrell is _him_, what do we do?"

Harry groaned, running his hands through his wavy hair. "He'll go after the Stone, that's certain. It being missing would go unnoticed longer than I would, so, logically, I think he'd go for it first. We need a way to know when he does. If he is the Dark Lord, but I think it's pretty likely."

Having finally recovered, Draco spoke up. "We could set some sort of ward on that corridor, but he's one of the greatest wizards ever, so it probably wouldn't work."

"Snakes", Daphne said quite suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Draco didn't seem very pleased at being interrupted, but then again, he never had.

"Oh, I get it", said Theo. "Harry can ask some snakes to watch the door, and they could set off some sort of magical item to alert us!"

"We'd have to go shopping, and we already have enough to do", Draco said, but he was clearly considering the idea.

"Mother knows a witch whom owns a store which sells various items", said Daphne. "That is why I suggested snakes in the first place."

"Brilliant!" Theo exclaimed.

Noticing his brother staring at nothing in particular, Draco asked what he was thinking about. There weren't many things that could distract Harry.

"Just remembering", the boy murmured. "After the whole debacle with my wand, Mother told me I should enjoy being a child while I can." He closed his eyes, raking fingers through his hair again. "But, I'm thinking about all this, and first years shouldn't have to deal with it all."

"We do anyway, though", Draco responded. "All we can do is manage as best we can."

"Besides, mentally, all of us are older than eleven", Daphne said.

"I suppose that's true."


End file.
